The Corny Reason Jim Harbaugh Gifted Chargers Personalized Back-Scratchers in Week 18

And it doesn't have to do with self-care.

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh on Dec 28, 2024. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

Jim Harbaugh really out-Harbaugh-ed himself with this one.

The Los Angeles Chargers coach, known for his goofy Midwestern dad demeanor, has made headlines for a few of his corny locker room gifts so far this season (you may have heard about the lunch pails)—but a new piece from The Athletic's Daniel Popper just detailed what may be the best present yet.

Last week, ahead of the Chargers' 34–20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Harbaugh gifted the team back-scratchers, which were each personalized with the recipient's name and number and waiting in their lockers.

Now, this wasn't just a random gesture of self-care. Surely that's part of it, but Harbaugh was actually attempting to communicate a larger message to the team: “You need to have your own back sometimes,” the coach said of the gift, per Popper. “You need to count on yourself. Make sure you get done what you need to get done. There’s not always going to be somebody there to scratch your back for you, so you do it yourself.”

Say what you will about the coach's strategy, but you can't deny that it's working.

In his first year at the helm, the Bolts have improved from a 5–12 record in 2023 to an 11-6 record in 2024. Despite a dismal playoff history—plus the fact that quarterback Justin Herbert has yet to win a postseason game—Los Angeles is currently the favorite to win Saturday's wild-card matchup against the Houston Texans.

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